and cullor hir guile adioyneth vnto hir inchauntment the Lordes Prayer And the Diuinar or hee that telleth and calleth vp by Spirites hee snatcheth something from Christ and hée will haue a leg or an arme of him and so inflamously abuseth the godhead of the Lorde But to take away this olde wiues Tale I thinke it expedient to say somewhat and at the first rather then to interrupte my speech hereafter As therfore Nadab and Abihu the Sonnes of Aaron that offered vp incense in the same Censor that their Father did Yet because they did it not aright they dyed for it So heare though wee praye all with one prayer and powre out our supplications at one time because wée praye not all alike with minde in spirite vnto the Lorde they bee to none effecte neyther auayle they And as there was in the Wildernesse one Manhu wheron Israell fed yet some wicked and disobedient had not the like nourishment and effect therof as had others So the prayer of the Lorde though hée gaue it to all that all might vse it yet it is not profitable to him abuseth it And as Saull vsed Samuell after his death the Pythonest called the Diuell by the name of him hee was not and the Diuell deceyued Samuell and did not profit him So it is with vs The prayer of the Lorde vnto the wicked beeing wrested to their death as Samuell was by the Diuell to blinde Saull shall neuer helpe them But abandon these wicked men wee must and permit them not so much as to haue speech with vs God hath heaped vp iudgement against the day of iudgement to consume them For the prayer of it selfe I say not well the bare wordes not rightly vnderstoode they bee no better then any other The Oyle and the Waxe and the Hony and the Tarre bee common things but to ioyne them to mixte them to compound them togeather to giue them to the pacient at conuenient time there is the cunninge The Nettle byteth yet it healeth the Flaxe it cureth yet it burneth the Spider poysoneth yet shée profiteth Then all thinges are good euen the vngodly man to him can vse him So is the prayer of the Lorde Otherwise as God hath his electe in the Courtes of the Ethnicke and as hee saueth some in the Turks Pallaces and among the Iewes kéepeth those he will haue kept so what saluation can they or others looke for if faith and life of man were tyde to this prayer seeing there bee a number that neuer as yet did knowe the same Also where is Abraham Isaak and Iacob which neuer prayed thus There is then many things to be wayed before wee presume to ground any Religion and health vppon man for repeating this prayer Then this order and manner of praying we must haue it of some other not of our selues therefore hee whiche hath taught it vs and instructed vs in his Spirite graunt vnto vs the true vse hereof in his bloud Trueth it is in Crisostome his Homily that Maximus speaketh Euery one when he prayeth let him pray vnto the Lorde Wherefore my procéeding into this so great a matter maketh mée in doubt but that the Lorde is where he alwayes was to take in hande so great a mysterie But I am content as hetherto I haue to vse my countrie speeche and I knowe that all alike vnto the Lorde is that man accepted that goeth cottered and torne in his ragges as he that is stuffed and pampered vp in veluets and it is a common fashion in the worlde in those our dayes for euery one to vse his libertie of spéeche and lasciniousnesse of tongue in this point Hee that is poore why shoulde I praye saith he for I haue nothing The ritche man he standeth in little néede he hath enough The strong man hee knoweth his portion hée séeketh for no more so valiant and puissant is he in this life The proude man he is in his ruffe hee noddeth with his head and beckeneth with the hande hee setteth saile to all things The incestious person what can he aske he liueth in pleasure The merchaunt what hath he to do with God the winde and weather serueth him And in commeth the student and he maketh his reckoning he casteth and he tumbleth ouer his bookes he looketh and hopeth for nothing for his witt helpeth him So that the whole worlde it is deuided euery one thinketh he hath little to do with god Then my firste note is that this prayer in generall appertaineth to all For from the tabernacle to the tente from him that sitteth in the gate to the poore man in the fielde from Tirus euen from those that go to Tharsis to the thresher the corne flower from him that giueth wages to him that receiueth hire from him that putteth on silke and softe clothing euen vnto Lazarus that lyeth at the doores seuerally from the toppe of Sion to the poore cottage From the Cedar trées of Libanon vnto the man remaining among the fennes and flagges it is his duetie he is bounde he ought to remember that he should praye For hée that sendeth his Cammels for spieerie and aduentureth to Corinthum for Iewels that prouideth into Arabia to get the purest golde and so gréedely searcheth for the riches of Damascus nay though he tarrie at home and abideth the Sunne all the dayes of his life and suffereth the bitter frostes in Winter though hee be created to tende cattell and to kéepe the wilde Coalte and the Asse in the Wildernesse though his handes be wearied with the plough and his arme withered vp with holding of the rake though he sit at the threshholde and haue not wherewithall to féede him yet hath he his soule to looke vnto that in my iudgement it is time to séeke narrowly abroade to recken with our selues to giue attendaunce to waite on God for euery one that liueth hath néede of prayer But to ransake euery thing more narrowly let vs knowe what it is is contained herein for wée dispute not for ritches or for wealth or for honour that vanisheth away but for the Lorde for Christ the firste thing that is mentioned is this that wee call on God and we saye O our father In the scriptures God is called the Lorde of Hostes the iudge of the whole earth the King of Kinges a consuminge fire the founteine of life that sitteth vppon the Cherubynnes that ruleth the worlde And here we call him by the name of father I am not purposed to runne paraphrastically on this if it please you to staye on my simple iudgement this I thinke If in our prayers we make vnto God we should call him Lorde wee spake vnto one that wee thinke shoulde haue dominion ouer vs If as to a Iudge we ought to stande at the barre and holde vp our handes and pleade for our selues then shoulde he sit with his twentie foure elders and giue sentence vppon vs If as to
that not in Iudea only but in all the world sacrifise and burnt offerings shal be offered vp vnto the Lorde And that of Christe to the Woman of Samaria accordeth with this Arte thou greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vs this Well and hee himself dranke therof and his Cattell and agayne our Fathers worshipped in this Mountayne but they saye Ierusalem is the place where men doo worshippe But shee was answered by Christ Beléeue mée Woman the howre commeth and now is when you shal neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem worship the Father a reason is also surrendered That the howre shalbée and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and truth and albeit in the Psalmes wee finde the affection of the Prophet to haue bin powred out in greater zeale for the Lorde of Hostes sake as Psalm 67. Prayse you the Lord all you nations and that in the .117 I will spread abroad and knowledge thy name among the Gentils Yet is there time and place and occasion too to vtter forth our cogitacions that wee bee not iudged of men I acknowledge and not vnwillingly that Dauid was in the Caue sometimes praying and in the feelde and in the Dennes and in the night and in his bed Ionas could praye in the belly of the Whale Daniell in the Lions Denne and his companions lifted vp their voyces in the flaming Furnace and Noe comming out of the Arke in the open ayre And Elyas on the topp of the Hill groneling with head betwixt his legges and Christ himselfe at the shoare side among the Shippes And Paull with the Elders in the sight of the people Yet this is my watchworde let no man goe beyond his skill nor draw priuate examples to generall obseruations But if death and persecution incroche vpon thée pray euery where for thou it is that shal glorify the lord But if quietnes and rest bee giuen vnto thee vse discretion and modesty in ordering thy forme of prayer For the second thing in this poynt which I noted in Paull without ceasing This is my iudgement that thou bée like minded in all thinges and remember it is the Lorde that searcheth the harte and the reynes that hee will bée worshipped in Spirite and truth But now wée haue harder matters that befall vnto vs and if so it pleased God I would like lots might happeÌ„ to vs al. For I know there is none whom God hath touched by his spirite inwardly but wisheth him selfe accursed to bringe saluation vnto all I speake it for that it is so hard a thing for the sonnes of Adam to bee agréeable to this in all poynctes namely one to praye for an other Ieam 5.16 and for thy enemyes and persecutors Math. 5.44 Lu. 6.35.23.34 Actes 7.6 And for all men 1. Tim. 2.8 I enter now on sutch a stage as that sufficient reason might bée showed to draw the ful length and whole discourse of this tragedy But it is not my minde to vnlase and ripp vp the woundes of any man For euen the vew and sight of this story may bée pitiful enough to any Christian To bringe in place the speakers hereof It were that of Atreus in Seneca and of Astiages in Iustin to bid the Father to the cating of his owne Sonne But I take an other way and not so lothesome as is that for such as bee of this Seane shall not speake I only content to vse a doÌ„me shew for it is straunge that mindes of men are so distracted as the life of any should onely consist in lyfe of thear 's and their iudgment vpon others to stand as sound iudgement to pray for none to condempne all to like of few to vpbrayd the best such iugling there is in worldlinges I know some that haue stumbled so vnluckely on sutch that their hurt hath beene more in one howre then heapes of Golde can recouer in many yéeres These I doo admonish and I charge them too in the Lord for to stay at home and pray less is better for such then to range abroade and liue worse and this is my exhortation to pray for them that curse thee to hate none to iudge the best to loue all for it sauoreth of Anabaptisme to beate downe to suppresse to throwe downe to the ground any man whom thou neuer knewest worthy the smyting to exempte any as extrauegaunts to the Lorde that couldest neuer iudge what the electe are Did Dauid neuer pray for Saull or was hee neuer in his hands that hée might haue slayn him if he would Eut hee not of the lappe of his Coate or touched hee the life of his Maister I knowe that if the soule of some were as fast clasped in the hands of them as the lay of Saulles Coate was in the hande of Dauid it had béene mangled and hewed in péeces before this This is it I giue in charge let them of this world thinke well of all and hope euen of those that bée without For though Samuell would not sée Saull vntill the day of his death yet mourned hee for him Moses will not sticke to pray for such as haue cursed him The iniuries that hee sustained in Sur and the outcryes in that Wildernes of that vnthankefull people turned not away their remembrance in his prayers to the lord Nor Ieremy so often layd in Prison and clogged with Chaynes could yet forget the anguishe of Sion and the tribulation that befell to Ierusalem but hee praied for them Now pittyfull is then the state of vs who rayseth vp him that is afflicted who windeth vp his sores and powreth in Oyle â— and remooueth the stâ—ipâ— from the hart of a truth the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron the poynt of a Diamond hath ingraueÌ„ in this people so sore a hatred that life to death and flesh to earth and Golde to drosse is chaunged as soone as their lips from leasing or their mindes from strife If you had bin at the death of Steauen when the stones rushed so about him and the states of Ierusalem clapped their hands to drye vp his blood I am affrayd the question might haue béene asked to what end hee suffered so many blowes and these fellowes can not abide so few wordes I aunswere litle herein That which foloweth shall sufficiently approoue it For beside the breach of brotherhoode in the worlde which is common there is many thinges to bée consithered in prayer Onely vnderstande that I wright not as a teacher to reforme that I sée amisse that pertayneth to the aged and the hoary heades I speake now to younglinges and to Babes sutch as bée of greater grothe whose manners I haue glaunsed at whose life and welth I neuer touched to them I leaue the whip and the heauier iudgement my lesson it is to young Schollers whom I teach after this manner Thy peticion made to God hauing clensed thy vessels from dregges and thy hart
For the they of Christ be not babblers as the Ethnickes bée excludeth the long and tedious reading at the Churche and men busied at their bookes when the Congregation is otherwise to bee edified it leaueth thee a small roome to put thy rewarde in The firste it perisheth by this for that God knoweth what wée haue néede of before wée aske wherein the errour of the Gentiles is shut out that kneeled so deuoutly before their Idols when happely they were abrode and busied in some other place and coulde not so presently heare them vnlesse they tarryed till they returned But it is with the Lorde as is with a cunning and expert Physition that can iudge by the sight of him hée seeth what disease it is whereof he sickeneth And our Lorde he knoweth whereof wée stand in néede and searcheth the sorrowe of our soules and wée néede not to tire our selues houres and dayes and nightes and wéekes as the Papistes doe Againe that superstitious custome of old time to praye at certeine houres and at no other I condempne it for Christe all night and in the morning and at noone tyde prayde I am ashamed to stande draining to searche out their beastly customs I therefore leaue them to suche as wil bee blinded in their foolishnesse The Epicure and the Athist haue reasoned verye subtilly agaynst prayer If hée knew before what wee should neede why pray wee hee coulde giue it vs if hee did not know what it was wee needed why hee is not God wherfore then praye wee If hee giueth not it is because hée loueth not if hée loueth not it is because hee-careth not if hée careth not it is because hee will not then wherfore is it that wee praye But let them dye in their carlesnesse and consume in the filthinesse of their thoughtes for wee are assured of his loue and fauour in that hée commaundeth vs to pray and in the name of Christe It were enoughe for vs in that God doth bidde vs yet other causes there bée al which I haue set downe in my former Treatise Notwithstandinge doo the Chickens begge at the handes of her that hatched them and doo the Lyons Whelpes craue for their pray doth the Beare the Sauedge beast féede hir younglings whē they cry and wil the Tigar returne vnto her cowtch to helpe them shee left behinde her and will not God looke vpon vs whom hee hath created But wherfore hath Christe willed vs to aske and taught vs to praye truely for that wee neede many thinges and bée as naked so ashamed of our selues if hée helpe not For of our selues wee haue nothing and in him wee haue aboundaunce and plentye of all thinges If wee looke for the giftes of the spirite wée finde them all in Christe for hee was annointed If for strength it is in his powre and in his gouernment If for puritée and for corruption that it may bee wiped away wee haue it in his conception If for loue wée haue it in that hée was made like vnto vs and hée came into the world to saue vs If for redemption wée haue it in his passion If for absolution we haue it in his submission If to take awaye the curse from vs Why hee hunge vpon the Crosse for vs If for satisfaction hee was our Sacrifise If for clensing of our sinnes wee haue it in his blood if for reconciliatiō we haue it in his descending to Hell If for mortification of the fleshe it is showen in his Buriall who was as touchinge the body layd in Graue that wee as touchinge the body might bee buryed to sinne if for newnes of lyfe wée haue it in his resurrection if for immortallity hee rose and ascended and dwelleth with his Father to make vs perfecte and immortall and Kinges and Préestes for euer If wee praye to bee heires of Heauen his ascending and magnefiynge aboue the Aungels hath giuen it If for securitée for treasure for ritches they bee layd vp for vs in his kingdome If to haue him mercifull and to spare vs in his iudgement why hée is iudge him selfe he will not cast away and condempne his owne fleshe So that out of season came this question wherfore pray wee for wee must and wee ought to pray that the greater encomberaunces ouertake vs not And for a truth if our vesselles did not taste of this lycour and wée our selues ouerthrowen in our vnaduised behauiour the prayers of those which so often times come vnto the Temple would haue bin heard of the Lorde God ere this But the commers they come in sutch disguised and maskinge manner eyther hauing their minde at whom in their Cofars or thinkinge on the pryde and brauery they bee in or cōming sluggishly or returning wawardly or requiring reuenge greedely or askinge coldly or wishinge that which is vnseemely or despisinge thy neighbour vnchristianly That it is no marueyle if the Lorde God thrust thee away and heare thee not the soules of such a number of men cry out agaynst thee But to returne and to leaue the Epicure and the Ethnicke and the other rable whatsoeuer Let vs vnderstand that God hath debased him selfe for vs and tempered his talke and applyed his speech vnto our capacities and hee hath taught vs very breefely to call vpon him The reason hereof is for that wee are weake and very feeble in our dooings in our life in our conuersation and at death in extremity in peril in ieoperdy in calamity at the fier or when wee be at the Block and the Sworde ready to bee layed to our necke wee oftentimes forget our selues Therfore to mollesy their stony mindes and to inamour them as it were to make men haue a lykinge of the Lorde to shewe that hee beholdeth three wordes aduisedly and wisely spoken rather then a number of Aue Marias and a bedroale of Credoes in deum heaped vp without discretion hee hath included in fewe wordes such good and pleasaunt lessons as if they be duely consithered contayne in them a pure and perfecte platforme of prayer first wee praye to whom to our Father Wherfore hee is our God but where not on earth Hee is aboue hee is not heare hee is in Heauen That late and worthy man of God M. Gualter as it seemeth to mee in his Treatise of the prayer of the Lorde hath iusteled with some one or other about the force and vertue and strength which is thought to bee in this prayer I finde also that the Rabbines of the Iewes boasted much of the words that were written in the forhead of Aaron and the Magicians of their exorcismes and the Papistes of this prayer all which they thinke to bee of great force if they hanged about the necke of any man His talke is agaynst them and so is mine at this presente that thinke there is saluation or life or health in that they repeate the wordes of Christe And therfore the enchauntresse to dissemble hir wickednes
sanctifie it when they name it but it is not so For Moses did not speede the better for his calling on God or for his stretching out of his armes or for thy squeaking out on the name of the Lorde when he commaunded in his name that life should departe the Grashoppers runne away out of Aegypt but in acknowledging his might and his power and his greatnesse that was able to doe it and bring it to passe and by faith he did accomplish it So we thinke in this sole speach vttered halowed be thy name there is no commoditie commeth to vs But in remembring what we be and desiring by all meanes with our might with strength with our power to blesse it and set it forth in that is our obedience and prayer knowe Elyas called on the name of God and fire came downe from heauen and consumed the water the stickes and the sacrifice And Ieremy in the name of the Lorde foretolde their captiuitie into Babilon And Micheas in the name of God prophesied of the ouerthrowe of Ahad And yet by rehearsing the name of the Lorde did they not this but by faith thorowe the spirite In like maner we by asking or demaunding or â—rauing though it be in his name if it be not by faith it is nothing The reason hereof is vse his name and in â—â—are and in skill aâ—â— as he biddeth it helpeth thée Abuse his Godhead and turne it to thy pleasure and racke his libertie to thâ— commoditie and he consumeth thée Then in this place sanctified be thy name is nothing els mente then his glorie the knowledge of him the true vnderstaÌ„ding of his maiestie the debasing of our selues and the glorifying of the Lorde our god This was the onely cause that Moses and Aaron did not sée the lande of promise neitheir entered into Canaan For they did not sanctifie the Lorde at the waters of striefe That is magnifie and extol their God and that ought to haue glorified him who in that distresse wherein they were was able to haue helped theÌ„ if they had called on his name Hallowing that is making holy or holying and sanctifiying doth signifie any thing that is consecrated or giuen or seuered froÌ„ man vnto God and is only proper to the Lord to his seruice to the worship of his name I take this worde to proceede from the Hebrewes that in their spéech called it a gifte as it were presented to god It came of the ceremonie which was vsed in Israel who as any thing was holy and consecrated to the Lorde vsed to lay their handes thereon singnifying that that thing they gaue they willingly gaue it to the lord So Iacob blessing Ephraim and Manasses laide his handes vpon them and blessed them or put them a part from other vnto god In the same signification they laid their handes on their sacrifices as being holy to the Lorde and pastors and Deacons kept this order in the church and so did Paul and layed his handes vpon them deliuering them vp or putting them in minde of their duetie that ought to be holy and vpright before the Lorde In that sert we do make holy or sanctifie the name of the Lords our God in that it is onely he to whome we giue holinesse and sanctification and reuerence hemage a boue the rest and doe confesse none to be like him Here it commeth to passe that we call those which be the Lordes Saincts that is holy as comming from one that is holy which is the Lord god For an those that are begrymed and sweltered in claye or sayde to be claylike and of blacke blacke men so from him that is holiest are we holy Gualter out of Cratilas in Plato as I take it hath properly deriued this worde and calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not earthly of the priuatiue α and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is without the earth As then being worthy of the names of sainctes when we haue forsaken the enormities of the flesh of the earth which is of those that beinge heare are earthly But paraduenture ouer farre in this and easely knowen from whence I came euen from the earth that sauoureth so much of these grosse and crooked speaches yet as content w my portion I cannot be ashamed to power foorthe my harde and crabby talke seeing so greate strife in others to be nice and in their finesse and puritie of tongue could to this day in my iudgement vse none I aske at your handes this a lone to suffer me patiently to speake vnto rudelinges euen them of the countrye where nowe I am If not but you will snoffle at it and enuie my small skill truely I giue you warning to chaunge your mindes for euen you with all your eloquence shall neuer perswade me to giue ouer And as one vnaquainted with so dainty eares I returne againe to the earth from whence I went more exquisite more delicate and the gorgeous stuffe I leaue to you In this place by this worde sanctifying or halowed I vnderstande to estéeme or thinke as holy to honour and celebrate and to call on the name of one eternall God which is holye and in this sence God doth vse these words in Ezechiel I wil be magnified and I wil be satisfied I wil be knowen in the eyes of the nations and they shall knowe that I am the Lorde Ezech. 38.23 and Esaie shewed the same verie effectuall The Lorde hath opened or made his arme naked in the sight of the Gentiles and all the ends of the earth shal sée the saluation of our god Esay 52.10 For in that the name of God is holy and reuerent verie holinesse and sanctitie it selfe therfore are we commaunded to hallowe it But because he is not knowen of all and the mindes of men are cloyed and worne with superstition Idolatrie Blasphemie incantation execration periurie therefore is it that in prayer we praye that glorie may bee geuen vnto him homage ductie feare and reuerence that all may honour him praise him and laude him For this cause I haue set you downe a perfecte rule and square to directe our life and conuersation withall and to vnderstande howe God is knowen which is partely in our creation partely in our redemption partly in our iustification that the Lorde God may bee knowen vppon the earth his sonne Christ among men and the spirite that gouerneth directeth the heartes of all fleshe Theodoret in that place where he sheweth what God is maketh this sanctification or holines a name that doth appertain to the Trinitie for the none els by nature are Gods but they his opinion is that Lorde and God appertaine to the thrée seuerall persons but our Lorde God is to be honoured or sanctified so that in one God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost ar to be sanctified Eucherius vppon the Kinges sheweth the wisedome of the Lorde God which doth wonders and
signes and miracles without any slothe or staying but euen spéedely at his woorde not saith hee with many trifling circumstances but in his wisedome at his pleasure Howe glorious a God then is he and worthie to be magnified Therefore Crisostom to Philemon When God did not stande in néede of our helpe he created made vs of nothing For when he had made euery thing then made he man what reuerence then can we giue to our God more then sanctifie him shewe his power among men Primatius on the Romanes atributeth mercie iustice goodnes peace with all other good giftes vnto the Lord and to this end he doth it euen to pluck downe debase man to exalt and sanctifie the name of god Augustine is verie excellent in his meditations hee giueth vnto God these titles Great mightie omnipotent eternall pittifull long suffering righteous that hydeth many things knoweth all things Only strong onely present onely of force and of strength vncomprehensible seeinge all thinges iudginge all thinges vuchanngable yet chaunging and altering all other immortall infinite whom no man can attayne vnto Immoouable yet moouinge and turninge all vnsearchable yet searching all feareful and fearing all yet neuer feared that is aunciaunt and olde and gray headed for hée was euer not altered for hée is the same that bringeth all to age and continueth alwayes workinge and fashioninge and framinge and making and creating all yet alwayes quiet alwayes strong alwayes giuing neuer needing defending distributing nourishing profiting louinge ayding mainteining displeased yet pleased repenting not striking and consuming yet protecting fostering that is onely one and eternall and euerlasting and vnchangeable in his counsell I suppose that Augustine hath shewed vs howe to iudge of the Lorde howe to sanctifie him howe to glorifie him euen when we lay aside all that is in man and giue due honour reuerence feare and maiestie vnto him I will staye no longer in this place I procéede to that which followeth for I dare not stande in curious intermedling with the Lorde but I shewe yon briefely in what the Lorde is sanctified euen in all things that are vppon the earth whose excellencie if it haue any and glorie and goodnes commeth onely from God But in especial God is sanctified by these two workes and iust iudgements of his that happen in the worlde The firste is his righteousnesss and his iustice in the reuealing whereof euen by punishing the wicked and comforting them that bee his the Lorde God is chiefely glorified as in Pharao his ouerthrow in the read Sea with the destruction and ouerwhelming of his captaines horses and chariots that was a feare and astonishment to all nations The like in Sennacharib the Tirant of Assiria that ouerthrewe the Gods of the nations and blasphemed the trewe liuing God and perished he and his people by the hand of the Angell In no one thing is the Lorde so glorified as in this in shewing his rigour and sharpnesse to the infidels and nations and by sauing and protecting his people what glorious beautiful steppes had the daughter of Syon when Iuda was brought out of captiuitie and Hierusalem from thraldome bondage and the lame man went in the stréetes and the blinde could sée the Lorde and the Leapers were clensed and the bloudie Cyte was made a running spring and the standing poole a riuer of sweete water and when ioye and health was spreade abrode vpon the children of that wofull and desolate widow Sion when the Messias was come the Churche deliuered the Apostles called the Gentiles elected Herod eaten and deuoured with Lice the enimie of the Lorde and the Churche had quietnesse and the enimies were swallowed vp and glad tydings of the Gospel was preached on the face of the whole earth When the Lord permitted persecution vnder Nero Domitian Traian Dioclesian vntill Arcadius howe rose it againe triumphantly the Lorde God magnified in Asia in Aphrica in Europe and the heretikes beaten and suppressed downe by the worde of God. After that from Arcadius vnto Honorius vnto Theodotius the younger vnto Martian vntill Leo vntill Zeno. Howe worthie a passage had the power of the Gospell euen from Arrius and those heretikes that went before him vntill Pelagius and those heretikes which succeeded him I might cunne ouer the sixt age since Christ where albeit the countenance of the Lorde shined not so pleasantly as it did 〈◊〉 others yet the stories of Anastatius of Iustus of lusâ—mian of Iustin of Tâ—berius of Mauritius do testifie that the Lorde God gaue his Church an honourable conquest ouer the enimies of Christe But I let this â—ip and I returne thither from whence I went namely that this ought to be our petition our earnest sute and desire vnto the lord that he would not permit his name to be blasphemed and prophaned among the nations but in his mercie he would giue vs of his grace and in his iustice strike and punishe those that be his aduersaries that all men may knowe him and adore his name and that he may be feared and honoured among all After this manner be the godly brought speaking as it were in their owne persons Not vnto vs O Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue thy praise for thy goodnesse and for the truethes sake And againe in pittifull sorte do the Sainctes complaine by Dauid when the heathen cryed out where is their God And againe Powre foorth thy wrathe and indignation vppon the heathen which know thée not and vppon the kingdomes which call not on thy name And againe in Ioell Help vs O Lord of our strength eueÌ„ for thy glorâ—e for thy names sake Let the reuenge of the bloud of thy Saincts powred forth be openly shewed among the nations Yet herein is héede to be taken namely that priuate grâ—dge prinate malice make vs not to burst out into these exclamations but that it be done in the zeale of the Lord. The seconde kinde or manner of his power wherein he is sanctified his name glorified and he praised among the children of men is his infinite merâ—ic and goodnesse that is extended from generation to generation euen vnto thousand shousandes of such as feare him and kéepe his commaundements and were it not for the Lord of hostes for his great mercie that in Esay shoulde â—e fulfilled that we were as Sodoma and become as outcastes in Gomorra the calamities that happened to Iuda in so oftâ— times changing their iudges that were falne so strangely yet recouered themselues againe so mightely in a shorte space are a witnesse vnto vs to testifite this Their transgressions vnder Samuel yet he deliuered them their falling in the time of Dauid yet he â—aued them their miserie and desperate case wherein they faltered vnder Salomon yet he protected them vnder Ahab yet he defended them vnder the residewe of his successours yet did he not deface them so that his iustice to
which had in it but eyght persons as a seueral people kept to God And in this place I haue drawn you out a shorte catalouge of the peruerse and crooked kingdome the dominion of the diuel by which you may knowe what wee are of our selues when God forsaketh vs and you shall vnderstande againe that the Lord euen in the midst of death can keepe vs that be of his Church vnto life I knowe the I haue to deale with a great number that if God would not cut off the presumptuous spéech would complaine with Esdras the he had forgotten Sion that his people had hanged vp their harpes by the riuer of Babell and wepte there yet could not be heard of god And if euer it appeared in blacke and mourning wéede then was the Church of God chéefely destitute voide of helpe when as Nemrod that mightie hunter grewe vp to so great strength and consumed the flocke and heritage of the Lorde This kingdome of Sathan it is enlarged especially by these three meanes the firste is in belying and defacing the trueth the woorde of God the seconde is in open wickednes the third is by sects scismes heresies to beat downe the Gospel An example of the first I cannot shew better then in him of whom we brag so much our first father what a lye was that he made vnto him to begyle him withall If you eat of this fruit you shal be Gods knowing good euil then take this in the meane time as God his glorie his kingdome his empire is enlarged by setting out the trueth so is the kingdom of the diuel by disceit After this sort he bewitched the Philosophers of olde he begyled the Gentiles and nations on the earth with fonde and fantasticall illusions taken frō the Sunne the Moone and the other creatures whō they worshipped The beginning of the Kinge of Babylon and of Assiria after the floode 131. yeare testifie the same euen from Nemrod before named called of M. Bullinger and of the Poets Saturnus how great blindnesse and filthie superstition incroched on the earth euen that blessed nation whome God hath nowe mightily prospered the Germanes frō whence I knowe not whether any more heauenly or more wise or better learned or greater number to set out the glorie of the Lord and his Christ hath risen out of any place or nation or countrie vnder the Sunne then hath from them Yet these came out of the loynes of that beastly Monarcha and liued a long time in Idolatrie For take a viewe of their predccessours frō whence they came and iudge whether God hath blessed them or no that when they were wilde grapes good for nothing hath graffed them againe vppon a newe stocke and they bring foorth verie plentifull fruite For consider all and the power of God which wrought it Howe sprang vp Idolatrie when Ninus sonne to Nemrod otherwise of the Poets Iupiter Belus began to reigne Hee erected a temple to his father and to his mother Iuno and to Rhea his mothers mother and be was the chiefe author of idolatrie euen the moste grosse and beastliest that I finde among men Him did Semiramis a Paragon and his mother and an Amazon as filthie wicked as her sonne succede in the Empire Only in an out corner about Mesopotamia and in other pettie viliages was God knowen I touche this age For that it pleased God to suffer Sathan to build him a throne a kingdome among men in those dayes especially which was the foundation and Piller of all vntrueth vntill this day For nowe began the Aegyptians to bud vp that vntoward generation whose name deserueth to be hated for that all our toyes and inuentions in hidden and vnknowen artes began with them And the diuell to establishe and ratisie his dourine began in Aegypt the fiftéenth yere of Nemrod which was of Noe the 745. of the world 1801. yeres Then began Mizraim so called in their language his tyranny this is he called of the Histeriographers Oceanus that made great broyles in the Church and confirmed his wickednesse with bloude But it is true that is in Salomon The Lorde that sitteth in his seate doth wipe away all euill And againe the wise King doth scatter the wicked and bring a mischiefe vppon them And therefore this buylding of Sathan it lasted not long but was broken downe euen the chéefe walles thereof when hee suffered Abraham to soiourne among them For his posteritie sufferes many troubles and diuers calamities and were oppressed many yeres yet in the ende the Lorde God was magnified his name was praised and his Maiestie séene his people had a glorious day of them when Pharooth and his horsemen and his Chariots were ouerwhelmed and drowned in the deapth of the Seas Therefore in my iudgement this is a worthy and moste excellent prayer that the olde reliques of the auncient building may be defaced and to desire the Lorde that his kingdome may bee increased and superstition and falshod sowed and setled in the hearts of men rooted out and the puritie of the Gospel may take holde and veritie and religion shine among vs For it is the olde custome of Sathan to begyle vs as auncient as the Aegyptians be and the Caldees the Hebrewes so is his pollicie and his wilinesse of many yeres and long time greater continuance then our late and miserable dayes be able to resist if we were assaulted with the like For which cause séeing superstition hath heretofore ouerflowed the face of the whole earth from the beginning might haue continued vntill our latter times had not the Lorde God in his sonne Chrisie looked on vs For that Mahomet and the Turke haue their dominion and glorious titles to be made Gods aboue all that be in earth and his neighbour his nexte rempanion hath nowe a long season set him selfe in his chaire of state and Imperiall throne and hath made al the princes of the earth drunken with his venomous eup for that wée our selues bee a gazing stocke almoste to the whole worlde and the eyes of euery kingdome and nation cast vppon vs for that peace and quietnes the true light of the Gospel was neuer set out in his perfecte colour as it is at this day with vs and for that if vnthankfulnesse continue and lothsomnesse take vs we are at a venture that God will depriue vs of his benefites Considering the brickle state and distresse wherein we be no greater consolation in my iudgement may or can happen to vs nor worthier blessing light on vs or more earnest supplication moued by vs then that he would promete his glorie sanctifie his name defend his church establishe his kingdom roote out the posteritie of Sathan suffer his peace to be among vs. The second shift and pollicie that hee hath to erect his owne glorie and set vp his kingdome is by open sinne manifest
nakednesse to the worlde If the reprobate shall haue iudgement in this life and in the world to come to astonish thée if that Ananias and Saphira were guiltie of theft and Sacraledge then when thy commission is good and thy warraunt sufficient and thou hast to deale also with such men I will allowe it Notwithstandinge amonge other reasons that I now remēber laid vnto mée by poore lay men though I perceiue they had good instructers that taught them so counningly yet one among them all in a redde Cappe and a black coate did vere me perlously For my owne part I was amazed and it was straunge to sée a poore fellowe brought vp at plough and cart withered and weather beaten and be shacked in his aray yet to reason so profoundely dost not knowe saith the same poore man that Thelias thwackt the prists of Ball and sklewe them at a Ponde and they were the foes of God and why shall not wee kill those that be hiks enimies Mary masse I trowe the one Skamuel sklewe Ahag hee would haue saide Agag and with that was verie angrye and Spineas he ment Pineas or plainly Phinees did skil a whore as knaue and he iks praysed by god I was afrayd then and rid away as well as I coulde I thought it time yet by his leaue for I am out of his pawes and I haue leasure enough I will aunswere it nowe For it tendeth heather that Elias did kill the pristes of Baal at the brooke of Kison at such time as they had cryed out Baal Baal héere vs c. The ignoraunce of men may appeare therin and true it is an euil scholemaster may easely mar a fine scholer for though these men spake roughly and had grimme talke yet by their trauelling it appeared to me they had a willing minde to atteine sumething And as I haue hearde for that in those quarters there be many Papists I did in verie déede suspect much But I let them alone and God almightie turne them and if these my few lynes may euer happen to come to their fingers I knowe I shall smarte for it Howe euer it be and wheresoeuer nowe they bée I will speake this to them briefly God was then dishonoured the space of many yeares by Ahab his parmission in suffering these Chemerimes those bloudie sacrificers in his common welth And Iesabel that infamous strompette had nourished the Priests of Baal in her house Nowe God beeing sore displeased would haue the Idolaters punished according to his lawe If there be founde in any Cities man or woman whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thée that hath wrought wickednesse in his sight and hath gone and serued other Gods worshipped them The Sunne the Moone c. Carrye him to the gates of the Citie and stone him with stones till hee dye Then that which Elyas did he was commaunded by the Lorde As touching Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest that slewe Zambry Cosby it is sayd that hée turned away the anger of God from the children of Israel in the hee was zealous for the Lord of Hoastes sake the is he did it not but by the singuler spirit of God that stirred him And for his obeisance rewarded him For his commendation remayneth in Dauid Then if hée would not bée pettish I would say some thing to this poore Cuntry man the would learn when Idolatry is come to the ful brimme and Magistracie and authority is contempted as Moses was and when thou art commaunded to hang their heades vp in the Sunne that offend the Lorde when God saith vnto thée do this he raiseth thée vp once again I say it is an offence if thou obay not But al these extraordinary examples the wicked men doo peruerte to their condempnation For they take it as done of themselues in the flesh that was commaunded them in spirit frō the lord And wher they accomplished the commaundement of their God to abolish and roote out sin They doo it in reuengement to their owne condempnation As for Samuell that slew Hagag that Heathnish and Idolatrous Prince that Amalechite whom God hated and abhorred and now commaunded to bée slaine For that hée layd wait for them as in the way vp frō Aegypt It was lawfully done For Samuell was a Magistrate and ruler in Israell and hée iudged Israell fortye yeares And ruled them in vprightnes integritée all his life against whom at his death Israel was not able to say ought or to charge him with any thing Then being the Magistrate hée had Aucthority to vse the sword and execute iudgment Which if I thought you wold deny as the Anabaptistes doo I then would take it an other way in hand But wearied my selfe and hauing euen now tryed you I let them alone for this time when occasion serueth and leasure permitteth and God graunteth vnto mée fitte oportunity I will more largely handle it For this time I cease And this it is my doctrine that I teach if thou or any man else shall take vppon thee the seat of the Lorde enter into iudgement condemne thy brother laye in waite for him take vp the swoorde presume to smyte or else any other way indammage him Thou arte guiltie of his blood and the Lorde will require it at thy handes The laste thing which I note herein Forgiue vs our debtes as wee forgiue our debters Is the agreement and vnitie that the Lorde requireth in vs all that offereth vs as it were our saluation in his Christe and inrolleth vs againe to bee duetifull and obedient to others This I woulde it were if so it séemed good vnto his Maiestie more common then it is lesse debate more loue woulde growe among vs For this cause as beinge one that meaneth wel vnto the famili◠of the Lorde and woulde right gladly hazarde that little whiche I haue to ioyne you all in one Christe Take this from mee as a poore testimonie of the loue I beare you Euen a golden chaine precious Emerode that I willingly do giue to linke you and couple you togeether in one Lorde And I giue it in the name of Christe of his church that euen nowe in Englande suffereth shipwracke goeth to decaye and more and more yet like to perish if we stay not on this Anchor and take not holde in his Christe The Perle or Emerolde it is Loue. The Chayne or Iewell is Trueth For if you do remember I protractured out a man not so long since that to my thinking though he was comely ynough in height stature and proportion and able to serue in the house of God yet I lefte him verie naked and to couer his shame I haue giuen him apparell in this place And vppon his rayment hee may hang the two former Iewels Loue Trueth only Let his Robes and his ornaments be Discretion His Pompe and his brauerie Hospitalitie His glorying and beautifying
haue from the Spirit 12. The Dores to enter at the worde and the Gospel 13. The Barres to stay this hee that gaue this God the Father 14. The knitting of all this togeather is Loue. 15. The keeping it froÌ„ shaking brotherly agreement 16. The force and strength therof one minde and one Iudgement 17. The glory and beauty therof Immortality 18. The ende of this building the glory of God. 19. The price and rewarde Life Not that which is terrestriall endureth a small time but an other euen that which is aboue when wée shall dwell with god The onely price of sutch as loue and feare his name vnfeignedly To whom that bée of his true Church the Lorde God sende his blessing and peace for euer that quietnes may bée to them of Israel and life for euermore Amen FINIS A Sermon made before the reuerend father in God John Bishop of London by I. Keltridge Preacher at his Mannor at Fulham before them of the Clergie at the making of Ministers in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1577. and novve set out in Printe It is thus written in the firste Epistle of Paull vnto Timoth. Chap. 3. vers 1. 1. It is a true saying if a man desire the office of a Bishop hee desireth a good worke 2. A Bishoppe therfore must bee vnreprouable the husbaÌ„d of one wife watching sober modest harberous apte to teache 3. Not giuen to Wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre but gentill no fighter not couetous c. THéese wordes contayne thus mutch the rule and gouernemente and state of the Church The office the duty the function of a Bishop The state is preserued the gouernemeÌ„t established the authoritie reuerenced the Church setled where Bishoppes bée chosen that are blamelesse The common welth is racked the state impoâ—erished wise and gray headed fathers despised the word of God banished where Bishops are chosen that are shamcles If the rulers bée wise and discréet â—â—en if the order and frame conningly and truly set vp if the guidance be sincerely and purely drawne 〈◊〉 as also squared by the rule set downe in the Booke of God Then Bishops liue happely The common wealth quietly the state flourisheth most gloriously At this present as one of the poorest and meanest Leuites among Israel yet ordayned I hope in good time to serue in the Tabernacle of the Lord elected and chosen to se the Curtaines of our God and the hangings of the habitation of the Lorde of Hoastes dewely to be spreade before his seate As one desirous to sée that no Aliaunt shall touche the Arke of God nor any one vnclensed to approche his sanctuary I am bolde to enter in to sée the surneture thereof the glorie the apparell the sumpteousnesse of his Throne and to sée and for to knowe whether we bee apparelled as Aaron or deckt as Leuits or in manners Israelites or among the Prophets the sonnes of Prophets that the voice of the Lorde may sounde among vs. Foure especially vvaightie great encombraunces able to beate and vvaye him to the grounde lye on the necke of a Bishop His Vocation by Calling His Deutie by Function His Dignitie by office His Aucthoritie by Rule All which haue seuerally foure most excellent and goodly giftes kept vp as in their treasurehouse to furnish and store good men withall His calling hath foure pillers to staye on for hee must bee Vnrebucable subiect to no reproche blamelesse Not wanton not lasciuious husbande of one wife Painefull yet gainfull to bring to God euen watchfull By temperancie not by glottonie ruling them but modest His function requireth 4. garments to cloath him vvith His Robes his Iewels DiscretioÌ„ Grauitie His statelynes and his Brauerie Hospitalitiâ— His honouring and apparelling Instructing His cloth and garment lyned with abstinencie that he be no dronkarde or gluttonous person His office hath adioyned foure Sergeants to vvaite on him He must be no incrocher vpon any no fighter No scraper in of his gold by filthy lucre Lowly courteous gentle vnto all men No brawler no striuer no quareler with any man His aucthoritie and his rule commeth in that maketh an ende of all strife the mistresse Gouernesse to keepe the rest in avve By instructing by ordering beeing able to teach his housholde Liuing discretely warily vprightly abhorring couetousnes That can keep in subiectioÌ„ his own family in feare in reuerence That hee bee not a young scholler puft vp with pride but that he haue a good report of all All vvhich as they be in number xxii So for the greatnes of the matter the statelinesse of that I take in hand the skill and furniture that is required in him I seeke for I am in greate doubt the time vvill not suffer me to ransacke so much as the third gifte that ought to be in vs Prophets that I may go so farre as the vvorde of God leadeth me let vs ioyne in heartie and faithfull prayers together vnto the Lorde For the vvhole Church of God As a member and portion thereof this Church of England and Irelande c. THis place where as he speaketh of a Bishoppe is is not to be vnderstood so as that only he speaketh to him in aucthoritie called by Luke a Senior or as in Tytus 1. For this cause haue I left thée in Creata to set in order the residue that were left Or as Acts. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as Caluine thinketh In the bishop so called of Paul is ment euery one seuerally ioyntly in his function to whom the charge of soules is committed Therfore Pomeranus offitia sunt non dignitates Musculus Instruere noÌ„ regere Teaching them not fléesing them Bullenger Vocati non intrusi Chrisostome Ordinandos ad bonuÌ„ non deuorandos ad commodum elected to serue them not chosen to eate them Ambrose non ambitione pecuniae desiderio For men that come hastely to serue god in the ministerie take it for welth sake to liue securely then that al may be comptable vnto the Lorde and surrender a reason of religion I take it generally of all that Bishoppes that is those to whom cure and charge of soules is committed ought to haue those good gifts set downe by Paul in his youngling Timotheus Not to make any strife or to debate the matter as some haue done or therefore the I may séeme to take away aucthoritie from the Senior or gouernement from the Elder or preheminence from superiour or rule from him that sitteth in seate to guide others But as Paul in this of Timoth. to the saincts of Christ which be at Philippos together with Bishops and Deacons euen so say I to all those which be here Bishoppes Deacons Elders Seniors Ministers Preshiters is this same giueÌ„ in charge for none shal be excused but as touching that common cry hussing so much in the eares of many about them that bearâ— the sway in the Church this I say briefly I can
I knowe it and I speake it from the Lorde that if thy wisdome were as great as Solomons was if thy counsell as Ioseph if as well learned as Paul as actiue as Iosua as heighly commended as euer was Peter yet if thy dissolute life out goe thy sugred spéech thou art but as sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymball good for nothing Knowe you not that Saul persecuting the Church of God commeth not néere it That the Priestes of Baal must not serue in it That the Leuite defiled vpon a deade Carkace must not approch it That Nadab and Abihu offering vp wrong Cence before the Lord die for it That the Mohabits childe in the tenth generation no not foreuer minister in it Fierie toungs bee they that shall helpe thée the zeale of Elyas that shall mooue thée The Spirite that was in Amos to prouoke thée For hée is no prophet that Prophesying shal go coldely to worke in his prophesy for it is a great worke it is a mightie worke and he desireth a good worke that desireth to bee a Bishop So that at length we haue founde out the heigh stature and comlynesse of him we sought for to these if we adioyne but a fewe more ioyntes with some trauaile we shall I doubt not drawe out the ful protracture of the whole man for now followeth the last of my first part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sober Among all the euilles that be vnder the sunne these my soule hateth as for the Path way of them it leadeth vnto hell A man in aucthoritis that dare not speake The Candle of the Godly man that is quenched with vnrighteousnes the plentiousnesse of foode in the fieldes of the poore the gréedinesse of the mightie that deuoureth it the Prophet that séeth all abhominations vnder the sun and chasteneth them not The vnreasonable bibbing of those that be at the Alter The drunkerds and guidibeades that be in the house of God And the shamelesse man which falleth downe with wine Al which they be in the verie heigh way that leadeth vnto hell Two things I require in the man that feareth God Two things I wishe were in all that liue vppon the earth And two thinges I wishe vnto the watchman But I require al thinges to be in the sonnes of Prophets My desire shalbs fulfilled in these If hee that doth feare the Lorde take héede of falling For a discréete seruaunt shal do wel and his wayes prosper If all they that be vnder heauen leaue righteousnesse for inheritaunce and vertue to their children For the riches of the sinner are layde vp for the iust If there be a readie eye in the watchman If any heart that is trustie vnto his flocke If the sonnes of Prophets haue vndefiled lippes If toungues that speake not guyle If a steadie heade without wauering If a comely behauiour without beguyling If an vnspotted minde without ryot If an vntroubled Spirite not puffed with drinke If a sober temperate life that he be not checked of those with out or fall into the handes of the Tempter For thus it behoueth a man that wil serue the Lorde alwayes to bée most pure most chaste most vpright in conuersation For that of you Poet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the of Musculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 health and safety and vprightues of the minde can not bée wanting in that teacher that teacheth others Thus haue wee drawne out the one quarter of him that oughte to be a serueter at the Table of the Lord Giue mée leaue to come but to the second part of him if his cōlynes be such his colour so exquesite his fashion and workmanship so nice dainty in the drawing the I can not at this present paint him out fully the daies are longe and our time is great hereafter peraduenture it may bée fully finished let vs sée what that is that foloweth Vpon the vocation and calling of a Minister hangeth the duety and function therof That bée may séeme more glorious I haue giuen vnto him moste gorgeous araye not of Aaron onely that lasted for a time afterward was stript therof but of our heigh Préest Kinge euen the Sonne of God Iesus Christ That had no seame in that Garment which he put on eyther any wrincle who hath caried vs with him into the Heauens in token we must be apparrelled and weare the same garments that hée did The seconde order in his duety function is that euerye Preacher bee attired thus That hee put on discretion the very Oyle that must drenche the skirtes of his clothing That hee vse hospitality the royalty wee put on the Belles that make vs to be knowne by That hee exercise him selfe in teachinge the yealow silke the purple the Scarlet that wee Were to adorne and beautifie the house of God with all That hee bee clad with abstinency the Ephod and the brestlap that hee putteth on fastned with two hookes of pure golde Sagacitie and Modestie First saith Paul discreete comely apparelled As touching the apparell that is inioyned vs because I am none of those that séeke for reformotion in a thing of so small weight lest the whole countenaunce and face of the Church shoulde be altered Therefore doe I leaue it to their consciences that are minded to continewe in the house of god If any vse broade and great Philatharies as the Pharisies did or that think the Gould and the best Gould too euen that of Arabia to be onely theirs that in their finesse are not content with costlynesse in their brauerie thinke it not so great a matter to wallow in their ioylitie To them I giue this lesson That the day wil come when God will plucke their broydered workes their spanges their Iewels their garmēts they fetched from Damascus he wil send thē to gether stickes in the desert to make bricke in Aegypt to tame thē with It is a generall complaint euery where the mouth of eche person is open against vs to see the vurulynesse of him that entereth the Porch of the Lord And as were the sons of Aaron more marked merueiled at for their glorious attyre they put on then all Israel so in our dayes are the ministers knowen and discerned as greatest roysters and the one sort of preathers as chiefest swashbuclers and diuérs of our teachers as common Gamesters and such as shoulde be ordered as maisters of disorder yet hath the Lorde no pleasure in these his Garden is his Temple His sauour is thy fauour Thy labowring his embalming Thy teaching his inritching Thy preaching his deleighting What aske you What séeke you What require you of the Lorde Féede my flocke kéepe my shéepe loue my Lambes all things shal be ministred vnto you This is the charge Paul gaue to choose wise men for their Elders ouer the congregations And Solomon a discreate man buildeth the house a foolish person doth roote it out For Wo be vnto Syon and Woe be vnto Damascus and Woe vnto
Sydon and Woe be vnto all the Isles that lacke wise men for their rulers and discréete personnes to teach them wisedome Well let this be my first poinct in this his seconde attyre to cloth the minister of the Lorde withall we wil procéede happily at length we shal finde that whiche may delight vs The next is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suche a one as shall mainteine and kéepe straungers and not vnfitly For among Israel straungers were harboured because they themselues were straungers in Aegypt And we must remember to kéepe straungers in token that wee doe wander on earth and haue no abiding place and in remembraunce we be straungers vnto all the worlde for the word of the Lorde That heathnish writer yet the eloquent writer Marcus Tullius Saith properly in his Officijs Non dominus domo sed domus domino cohonestanda The house ought not to set out the maister but the goodnesse of the maister adorneth and beutifieth the statelynesse of the house Vlisses traueling verie farre gaue his commendation to Greece and all the countries there about that for courtesie and hospitalitie it might wel be compared vnto all Latium I knowe not what Vlisses would say if he were with vs but I am in doubt he might begge and sterue to before he gate ought I must of duetie counsell you with Paul to bee good vnto the poore for by receiuing straungers men haue receiued Angelles into their houses If Dauid may be beléeued the good mans childe hath seldome begged breade and the heart of the reighteous man is alwayes lyberal I must speak the trueth before the Lorde and before you all for we are driuen into a verie narowe straite the bely and the backe flaunteth it out in all sumpteousnesse your houses they haue nothing in them but bare walles they be so pinched with penurie those which are in the common welth in whose handes are many heapes of Gould are loth to distribute thrée peckes of meale to the poore and fatherlesse Nay I haue harde some speake it That if the vnsatiable gathering together of money if your racking of poore people if the greedinesse of scraping in of welth were left among you the spiritualtie wee which are of the common welth that haue nothing but by trauayle and sweate of our browes raked vp in many yeres would bestow more on the poore people then we do This is a pitifull crye it is ascended vp alreadie vnto the eares of the Lord the people they are readie to starue they houle in their miserie and crie out in the verie paine and smart of their soules vppon vs the ministers of the Lorde that harden other mens harts by our coueteousnesse Naball must néedes be harde and gréedie and no meruaile if Diues thinke much to giue vnto Lazarus that ritche men séeke for newe barnes to put in their stoore when they of Iuda and such as be in the house of God continually thirste to inritch them Well the Church of God perisheth in her miserie and panteth so sore that she is burst with crying because that this is not looked vnto In a cleere testimonie of my conscience I vtter the trueth vnto you for I haue seene it in some I knowe it in many it is common in all Hospitalitie here so much accompted of of Paul is termed husbandrie For if you saue much greedely that your childrē may spend it lasciuiously it is saide to be but good husbandrie I once was at Pauls Crosse when as a learned graue father preaching there among many other thinges spake much then of this vice He called to memorie at that time for the space of many yeares before that there had been no one Alderman in al London whose senne was remembred to haue vsed the honestly which the father in many yeares had seraped vp so couetously It was a sore and heauie saying for those wise and gray headed men that were then present And the saying of that wise Prophet moued the hartes of many that heard it There is at this daye nowe in London in moste florishinge state two sonnes of two Aldermen gouerninge by the wealth their fathers lefte them the happie and good state of that Citie But if that olde and grayheaded father were now aliue and speaking of the ministers of the worde of God shoulde turne his eyes to sée the iolitie wherin their children be that same discréete father for the two famous most worthy Shrifes that haue gouerned that honourable Cytie of London could not since that Englande was inhabited and knowen of men picke out so much as two sonnes of two Bishoppes to haue sat in the seate of their fathers I speake it as in such a time wherein the Lorde hath sent a rot among vs that wise men and most good and godly men shoulde haue so lewde and wicked children This is it I say The Lord wil haue their sonnes to spende it wantonly for that their fathers haue rackte it vp so vnkindly And if that money were bestowed on the poore which pine away for want of foode or some other way to the good and profite of the Church which lyeth smothered in their coffers and motheaten with rust the Lorde would not onely prosper them as good Phinees to haue the honour of the Priesthoode to remaine in their houses for euer But they shoulde be suer to haue one in the fauour and sight of God in a perpetuall generation The worlde is nowe so proude and the people therein so stately that if the sonne of a minister be not a gentleman the sonne of the minister shal bee but in accompt a begger There is some in Englande that haue good and large stipends for seruing the Lorde and they spende it as liberally on their Sonnes to make them Courtiers Well Aaron did not so either Eleazar so eyther els the Apostles and bretheren of the Lorde eyther els did Cephas or the residew so Pittye it is the Churche of God to sée how it serueth how the people die for foode the hedge of the Lorde how it is broken downe and they of the house do not so much as send their childrē out of their house to repayre it The Lorde moue his Prophetes to see vnto it And giue thē that earnest of his spirit the zeale of his glorye the feare of his name the reuerence of his Maiestye they ought to haue that his Gospell may bée farthered his Hierusalem builded his Citye finished his Church fetled that if it bee his will it may frō henceforth bee neuer more remoued we haue now run thorow the two first peeces of our last worke euen a litle liberty more and I doubt not but I shall dispatch the rest It foloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apte to teache there was required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and now wée haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord God hath alwaies had a care ouer his church he therfore hath cōtinually sent laborers into his harueste to helpe them forwarde therin
to charge them with that throng in vpon vs with their superstitious glosing very desirous to know what conscience there is and how reuerently it may bee doone that hauinge so goodly so great so famous and excellent guiftes they shall for all that leaue the people of God vnfed see the poore flocke of the Lorde sterue before their faces the lame man and simple soule dye for foode they hide themselues and lurke in priuate corners gadding a broad like men of occupations attired like prentesies rather then Preachers teaching in schooles then speaking in Pulpets and all for the vanyty and immagination of our harts or for the vnrulines or for the blindnes or for the vnskilfulnes of ignoraunt men Furthermore there is no cause that they whose doctrine and life manners and knowledge is comparable almost with those the best that beare the cheefeste places in the common welth should disguisedly transforme them selues to all fashions that they bée readier to runne a hoyting and raunginge abroad thorow euery petty and bye holes in England preaching and teaching in priuate houses ministring and seruing in priuate places disswading not perswading once to good orders disfiguring their calling and laying aside their function where vnto they are chosen and seeking to be plausable among the ruder sorte seruing their affections and yelding to their desires as common Chapemen to buy and sell and to lay abrode whatsoeuer disorders shall be brought into the common welth so that after this my last peticion and request vnto you all in the Church of the Lorde specially to you at this present gathered together to shewe your duetie and readinesse and your good affection that you beare to the Lord God reioysing so much the more as I sée so goodly a companie assembled and met in one to ioyne and knit handes to the finishing and reising vp of the spirituall Hierusalem I say vnto you all I power forth with a wandering minde and verie vnwilling heart these my hindermost and last wordes And they be that none of you doe come as the sonnes of Ely did to them of Iuda bringing with you a thrée forked fleshooke to plucke out the meate that is in the pottes if any one denie it you Or that you presume to take this charge for the loue of money and gréedinesse vnto gaine as some haue done or that you be a dishoner vnto the famely o◠〈◊〉 Lorde traunsported and borne about from place 〈◊〉 place like masterlesse men Hauing no aboode no not a hole to lay your heades in too vnseemely in these our dayes where a number doe sit in the heigh wayes and in the gates of other men wayting for a péece of breade and for almes at their handes when it were fitter that they were kepers of hospitalitie them selues Againe I require and pray you earnestly a seruaunt of the LORDE and fellowe labourer with you To scatter your selues thorowe euery angle and quarter of this Realme in seuerall congregations that all countries may heare your voice and euerie parte thereof may glorifie the Lorde Followe not the custome of our Presice men verie daintie and coye so nice as may be if they sée a Surplesse or a Coope Yet they will thrust them of their accorde into others mens charge and take vpon them gouernement in the iurisdiction of others and spreade abrod the infirmities of weake brethren and dispence a yeare some times moneths if they thinke good and often many wéekes to satisfie the vnsatiable demaundes of their confederates yet cannot find in their heart to bestowe them in any other foraine and straunge place where the worde of God hath not béene heard to doe good there And to conclude let there be one agréement one brotherhoode one voice and one sounde in all your preaching speake not contrarie thinges a verie common thing in these dayes men haue learned to dissemble so gloriously Also I desire you nay I charge you in the Lord Christ that you be not of diuers mindes but that you teach one GOD and one Christe whome he hath sent sowing abroade no newe and phantasticall opinions or scattering diuelish and olde heresies or inuenting straunge and fonde nouelties thrusting vppon the simple soules inuocations and fables whiche apperteine not to edification All whiche are brought in at this day by the Scismatickes of our time and now trouble the common wealth that the same sworde whiche appertained at the first all alone to the Magistrate to the rooting out of vice and hewing off of the Papistes is nowe also faine to bee drawne foorth to cut off them Well the Lorde graunte if so it bee his will peace to Hierusalem and long life to the daughter of Syon and ioy and tranquilitie to vs of his Church that shee may bee brought to knowe the will of the LORDE and wee ruled by him in all our exercises that the worde may haue frée passage his name onely glorified his will knowen his commaundementes kept and the gospel truely and sincearely taught to the maintenance and furthering of Religion and the beating and suppressing downe of sinne thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen FINIS Luke 11 Exo. 5.16 Zach. 3.2 Gen. 14.16 2. Kings 22.35 Luk. 1â— Math. 6. What prayer is thought to be among the learned In. Lucam In coÌ„ment in psalm 135. Lactan. lib. 6. cap. 13. In concion de octo beau citud Lib. 1. Tom. 1. haeres 66. In coÌ„ment in Esay cap. 62. In fragmen de errore prophanar relig De oratione Lib. 2. De oratione Lib. 4. ca. 86 Lib. 4. ca. 35. Lib. 3. ca 49 Two things that be wayters vpoÌ„ him that prayeth Colos 4.2 Philip. 4.6 Our order and manner in praying Ioh. 17. 1. Tim. 2. Precise men oftenâ—imes â—nvvise men Ioh. 4. Vpstart and fond heresies budding vp in our churches 2. Sam. â— 4 2. Sam. 15. Exod. 33. Ier. 8. The state of our dissernbling profesâ— sors at this daye Actes 7. Basill Eusebius These conditions are seldome kepte though much talked of amonge our vaine glorious men Such striuing small obayinge hath bin seldome seen in Ingland Eusebius Pamph. Freedome is made seruiâ—nde obedience disobedience to them that vse it not The last â—â—use to pray Sectes diâ—itioÌ„s about orders in the church He that falleth willingly as these did tempteth God prayeth not shall haue that portion they had The thirde thing to be considered in prayer the partes thereof The antiqui tie of coÌ„mon prayer Gen. 4. People vsed not so open playne administration of the Sacraments in this age as in the lavv and after the Lavv and a fevv huÌ„dred yeeres before the Lavv. Gen. 19. Gen. 20. Exod. 19. Exod. 28. Iosh 5. Iosh 18. Much seuerâ— inge litle inclining to the worde brought in by Scrsmatickes The state vnder Diocletian Templeâ— called Dâ—minica and Oratoâ—ia Basilâ— Error in the mistaking of examples Common customes do bring great matters to passe and the vse of that is euill doth make it good though